BROADCASTING AND BOOKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19033, 10 June 1924, Page 11

BROADCASTING AND BOOKS

HOW TO ENCOURAGE READING. There are some readers who do not take the view that the word book means merely a newly printed novel. The fact that publisher after publisher has printed good books in cheap form shows, says Mr Cyril Falls in the Nineteenth Century, that there is a public to appreciate good literature if encouraged to do so. To assist in that encouragement broadcasting has a splendid opportunity. There has been nothing comparable to it in possible influence since the appearance of the cinematograph. It can do great good or great harm. There is a risk of adding its power to that of certain harmful influences by distributing items that tend to soften brains. That is the problem — is it to be a strengthening influence, by giving people the best, or a softening influence, by giving them the worst?

It is recommended that, in addition to news, lectures, and music, broadcasting should include care-fully-chosen passages from great writers. Probably the best form of all would be the essay, by reason of its compactness and completeness. Lamb and Hazlitt, in their differing ways would provide good examples. Among the novelists Dickens would be the supreme writer for this purpose, with his character and humour, and even with the pathos which he overdoes at times. “How far, far better a thing are the tears spilt over Sydney Carton than the sobs over the ’sob-stuff’ of our day, whether in print or on the screen.’’ In Shakespeare there would be pitfalls. It would be easy to frighten away more people than were attracted. To read blank verse education and training aro required; a real knowledge of the English tongue, an appreciation of what is read. How difficult is the task can be understood by observing the failures of these plays of good actors and actresses of the modern school That difficulty overcome, the broadcasting of Shakespeare would be invaluable,, and it would show Hamlet and Juliet were at least as interesting as the heroes and heroines of Hollywood. Broadcasting of literature would not take the place of reading. Its effect would be to cause people to read more, and with better aim.